KDA unveils new motor fuel and pesticide testing lab

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer led members of the legislative Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture on a tour of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's new motor fuel and pesticide testing laboratory July 8 in Frankfort. Committee members also toured another state-of-the-art KDA facility, the metrology laboratory, and heard presentations on the Kentucky Proud, Environmental Services and Farm and Home Safety programs.

State Rep. Tom McKee of Cynthiana presides over the agriculture committee meeting with Sen. David Givens of Greensburg.

Commissioner Farmer, right, and legislators listen as Bill Day explains how a special four-horsepower engine enables technicians to measure octane levels in motor fuel.

Agriculture Commissioner  Richie Farmer, second from right, talks about the fuel and pesticide testing lab with, from left, state Reps. Dottie Sims of Horse Cave, Royce Adams of Dry Ridge and C.B. Embry of Morgantown and Sen. Jody Pendleton of Hopkinsville.

Tom Bloemer, second from right, manager of the Weights and Measures Inspection Branch, talks about the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's motor fuel testing program with, from right, Rep. Dwight Butler of Harned and Sens. Damon Thayer of Georgetown and Bob Leeper of Paducah. (Photos by Ted Sloan, Kentucky Department of Agriculture)

To see more pictures from the fuel and metrology lab tours and other highlights of the agriculture committee meeting, go to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's page on Facebook.

To find out more about the Department's motor fuel testing program, click here.

To find out more about Kentucky Proud, the official state farm marketing program, click here.

For more information about the metrology lab, click here.

The Division of Environmental Services is responsible for regulating the pesticide industry in Kentucky. Click here to find out more.

The Farm and Home Safety Program is a model for similar programs in other states. For more information on the program, click here.